First appearing in English in the late 16th century, disheveled derived from Middle English discheveled, meaning "bareheaded" or "with disordered hair." It is a partial translation of the Anglo-French word deschevelé, formed by combining the prefix des- (dis-) with chevoil, the word for hair.

Is disheveled a bad word?

Disgusted, disgruntled and disheveled are what you might call “lonely negatives.” They're negative words whose positive partners have vanished or never existed in the first place.

What does disheveled mean *?

Disheveled is an adjective meaning disorderly or in a state of disarray. To describe something or someone as disheveled is to call it messy, untidy,...